sunsugar volunteer

gardeninglee · June 9, 2016

Hi I have a couple of sunsugar volunteers in my garden this year. Anyone ever grow this out before? I know sunsugar is a hybrid. It is very odd - there are only 2 flowers on the bottom of the plant and the higher up you go the more flowers form. I am used to the number of flowers on the plants being consistent throughout the plant. Real estate is at a premium since I'm on a patio - is it worth it to check out? I have tiny fruit setting so it might still be another month and a half before I get to taste it.

jmsieglaff · June 9, 2016

Worth checking out? Yeah, it's fun to be surprised. I had tasted tomatoes from 2 Sungold volunteers my parents let grow last year. One was orange and quite good, rather similar to the F1. One was red, bigger and was good flavored but thick skinned.

Now if you don't have room and have other known varieties you'd really like to try out maybe then go with those instead. Bottom line is I think it is worth doing, but in your specific situation that's a decision only you can make.

AlittleSalt · June 9, 2016

I have an F3 Sungold plant producing a lot. It's kind of odd that it is doing so well and that I've lost 2 Sungold F1 plants. Maybe the F3 is more used to growing here in our soil?

I would grow out the Sunsugar F2s too.

SoCalGal · June 12, 2016

Last year I had two Sungold volunteers, and this year I have one. The two from last year grew out and bore only minimally compared to the original. What was produced was delicious, however. This year's volunteer is growing great with lots of flowers/fruit. The volunteer this year is from an F1 I purchased last year. I guess it's just the luck of the draw?

AlittleSalt · June 12, 2016

SoCalGal,

I don't know if it is luck or what? Yesterday, I started fermenting some Sungold F4 seeds. The F3s taste good, so why not save the next generation.

Gardeneer · June 12, 2016

Statistically there is a chance to get something like/similar to F1. ( Maybe 1 in 4 ? ).
I have also heard that most SG volunteers get more orange color fruits.

My theory and the way I look at it is that you should get some decent fruits. After all they cross 2 fairly good varieties to get an F1 that is improved in certain features. That should be fine if you are not picky picky to get the exact the same thing. IMO

Gardeneer

peebee · June 12, 2016

Last year was the 2nd year I've had SG volunteers, and this time none were orange colored, but red grape tomatoes. Taste was Meh, so I pulled them all out as I needed the room. Otherwise I would've kept them. When I had the orange ones I kept them all as they were pretty tasty but not as tasty as the real deal.

gardeninglee · August 6, 2016

So I grew a couple of these out and they did taste like sunsugar but they were weeks later. Like 5 or 6 weeks later. I yanked them out. I don't know if it was because they also didn't get the prime spots on the patio. I'll try again with one volunteer next year.

SoCalGal · August 7, 2016

Here are a few pictures of one of my Sunsugar volunteers nestled among the bougainvillea:

They taste so sweet and juicy! I got lucky with mine-- I'm going to save some seeds, I think.

June 9, 2016	#1
gardeninglee Tomatovillian™ Join Date: May 2016 Location: West Los Angeles Posts: 203	sunsugar volunteer Hi I have a couple of sunsugar volunteers in my garden this year. Anyone ever grow this out before? I know sunsugar is a hybrid. It is very odd - there are only 2 flowers on the bottom of the plant and the higher up you go the more flowers form. I am used to the number of flowers on the plants being consistent throughout the plant. Real estate is at a premium since I'm on a patio - is it worth it to check out? I have tiny fruit setting so it might still be another month and a half before I get to taste it.

June 9, 2016	#2
jmsieglaff Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jan 2014 Location: Southern WI Posts: 2,742	Worth checking out? Yeah, it's fun to be surprised. I had tasted tomatoes from 2 Sungold volunteers my parents let grow last year. One was orange and quite good, rather similar to the F1. One was red, bigger and was good flavored but thick skinned. Now if you don't have room and have other known varieties you'd really like to try out maybe then go with those instead. Bottom line is I think it is worth doing, but in your specific situation that's a decision only you can make.

June 9, 2016	#3
AlittleSalt BANNED FOR LIFE Join Date: May 2014 Posts: 13,333	I have an F3 Sungold plant producing a lot. It's kind of odd that it is doing so well and that I've lost 2 Sungold F1 plants. Maybe the F3 is more used to growing here in our soil? I would grow out the Sunsugar F2s too.

June 12, 2016	#4
SoCalGal Tomatovillian™ Join Date: May 2016 Location: Camarillo, CA Posts: 20	Last year I had two Sungold volunteers, and this year I have one. The two from last year grew out and bore only minimally compared to the original. What was produced was delicious, however. This year's volunteer is growing great with lots of flowers/fruit. The volunteer this year is from an F1 I purchased last year. I guess it's just the luck of the draw?

June 12, 2016	#6
Gardeneer Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Feb 2015 Location: NC - zone 8a - heat zone 7 Posts: 4,909	Statistically there is a chance to get something like/similar to F1. ( Maybe 1 in 4 ? ). I have also heard that most SG volunteers get more orange color fruits. My theory and the way I look at it is that you should get some decent fruits. After all they cross 2 fairly good varieties to get an F1 that is improved in certain features. That should be fine if you are not picky picky to get the exact the same thing. IMO Gardeneer

June 12, 2016	#7
peebee Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: Southern CA Posts: 1,714	Last year was the 2nd year I've had SG volunteers, and this time none were orange colored, but red grape tomatoes. Taste was Meh, so I pulled them all out as I needed the room. Otherwise I would've kept them. When I had the orange ones I kept them all as they were pretty tasty but not as tasty as the real deal.

August 6, 2016	#8
gardeninglee Tomatovillian™ Join Date: May 2016 Location: West Los Angeles Posts: 203	So I grew a couple of these out and they did taste like sunsugar but they were weeks later. Like 5 or 6 weeks later. I yanked them out. I don't know if it was because they also didn't get the prime spots on the patio. I'll try again with one volunteer next year.

August 7, 2016	#9
SoCalGal Tomatovillian™ Join Date: May 2016 Location: Camarillo, CA Posts: 20	Here are a few pictures of one of my Sunsugar volunteers nestled among the bougainvillea: They taste so sweet and juicy! I got lucky with mine-- I'm going to save some seeds, I think.